


Days lost, days found, and days that never came

by thepromiseimadetoyou



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games)
Genre: 100 Themes Challenge, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst, Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Drabble Collection, Fluff, Gen, I'm using my own theme list
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2016-03-29
Packaged: 2018-05-22 14:51:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6083667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepromiseimadetoyou/pseuds/thepromiseimadetoyou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"And I'd choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I'd find you and I'd choose you." - Kiersten White</p><p>100 drabbles for Shadow and Maria. Canon and AUs featured.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Keepsake

It's like stepping into a dream. She takes a deep breath and holds it, as if her lungs are a jar to hold a souvenir from a far-off land she may never see again. When her body betrays her she lets it all go and repeats.

Laughing at her side he chides her, “We'll be here a long time, Maria. You can breathe.”

She lets it go again and returns to a normal pattern. “I'm sorry, Shadow. I just keep defaulting to-”

“Saving keepsakes.” he finishes, staring not at the meadow but her. “I understand. But let's make one instead.”


	2. Memories

“Are you sure you don't want stars?” he asks from the ladder as they prepare to paint the ceiling of her room. The colors chosen are light blues and whites – unfitting of a night sky.

“You can see the stars from any window at any time.” she says, handing him up a bucket of 'sky blue'. “I want a sky I don't have.”

A smile as he dips the brush and waves it along the metal above. “Fair enough. I'm glad the Professor agreed to this.”

“Actually it's a surprise.”

“Maria!” The short-lived scowl devolves into laughter.

She joins in.

 


	3. Falling

She watches him go. Through pain-clouded vision she watches her success as his escape pod leaves. The soldier left her to die but she is stubborn. Blood is slippery and she barely activates a delayed launch before falling from the console to the floor, still undeterred. It stains her dress and the bullet burns her insides, but she crawls her way to the closest tube. She won't let him fall to Earth alone, even if she can't see straight. Inside she curls up to keep from bleeding out and waits. _Click._ _**Whoosh.**_ Pain fades as stasis activates. _I'm coming, Shadow..._

 


	4. Flying

For such a frail girl he remembers her as having the healthiest and most beautiful wings – an ethereal white, as vibrant and pure as fresh snow. He has never seen wings like hers since. He remembers reasonings from the scientists about them. The most common theory being since she was terminally ill her body was preparing itself early. The memory of what they were meaning still haunts him, but not so much as the crack of the gunshot that twisted her destiny. He tells himself they were wrong about her though. In his eyes she had always been an angel.

 


	5. Heart

It brings light to her world when he's with her, and it brings quiet giggles when he falls asleep on her lap. The quills are a bit painful but she ignores it in favor of watching him rest – chances like this don't come often. She allows her hand to lay on his chest and behind each rise and fall is a steady pulse. A reminder of life. Another heartbeat felt by her other hand as she realizes she'd placed it on her own chest. Slower. A reminder of frailty. Though as he always tells her, “Just as full of love.”

 

 


	6. Magic

Euphoric laughter fills the air as the crystals fall from the sky. She sits up from her adventure of rolling in the snow to catch more flakes on her mittens. Sapphire eyes make contact with crimson ones, just as filled with wonder. The snow stands out starkly on his dark fur, but she can only focus on the light in his eyes. She knows he'd say the same of her own. “It's cold but beautiful. It's like magic, Shadow...”

She comes from a family of scientists, but she is still a child. He'll let her believe. “Maybe it is magic.”

 


	7. Steps

“Wouldn't you be better off practicing with another human?” He steps to the left, intertwined hands making her follow.

“They take it too seriously or they don't have time.” she replies, adjusting the twirl for his height. “The point of dancing is to have fun!”

The music entrances them as they shift and sway, making up their own moves to the rhythm. A wrong step throws them out of it but results only in smiles and laughter.

“No shoes next time?” she suggests as she nurses her injured foot.

An embarrassed smile. “Sorry. I forgot how much my skates weigh.”

 

 

 


	8. Chaos

Sparks dance across his fingertips as she watches, enthralled by the energy. After a moment he lets them fade but the fascination remains.

“And Grandfather taught you that?”

A pause as he focuses and wills them to return. “It's apparently instinctual but he helped. He says I'll get better with time. Until then I can only do this.”

It's exhilarating what the life force of the universe can be manipulated into. Staring at the little electric embers she ponders a name. “Hmm. I'll call them Chaos Fireworks.”

She loves the way his laughter sounds. “Really? For fireworks they're rather pathetic.”

 


	9. Sports

Her eyes are glued to the players running across the field. “Why do they hit the ball and then just run away?”

On the bleachers beside her he shrugs. “Earth sports never held my interest much.”

“That's all right. It's a learning experience.”

His heart warms and he sends a smile her way. “I think it has to do with the distance they run while the ball is in the air.”

“That's correct.” A familiar voice behind them confirms. “I'll explain when this inning finishes.”

A teasing frown. “You said that earlier, Professor.”

A beat passes. “I did, didn't I?

 


	10. Competition

Machinery on the table earns her a confused look. “What's all this for?”

She turns at his voice and smiles. “Oh, Shadow! Ivo challenged me to see who can build a better robot.”

A raised eyeridge as he picks up and looks over a gear. “I suppose it's good engineering practice.”

“A Robotnik never backs down from a challenge.” she quips while adjusting a screw.

He takes the chair across from her. “Is help allowed?”

She shakes her head, then thinks it over and smirks. “He'll cheat. He always does. I say we cheat too. Help me with its arm.”

 


	11. Fortress

He never needed walls until Maria's death. After that he erected battlements.

Rouge knows he isn't cold to be cruel. Hiding ones heart results from having the sleeve you wore it on ripped off.

People would try knocking, then battering rams, then climbing the walls only to be forced out as he retreated deeper into the fortress.

He appreciates that she never tried any of those tactics. 

She only ever offered an outstretched hand waiting by the door. It didn't fling wide and she often suspected it never would, but each time she reached out it opened a little further.


	12. Royalty

Flowers glow under the twilight moon as the princess awaits her knight. A flash of light and before her he stands, awash in dark colors but always so bright. 

“I was worried you weren't coming, Sir Lancelot.”

Beneath the armored helm she sees crimson eyes light up and he removes the aforementioned piece. “I wouldn't dream of it, Lady Maria. I treasure our meetings.”

She can't keep herself from beaming as she takes his hand. “As do I. Grandfather is still trying to find me a healer. I love our escapes.”

“I will be here for you always, my lady.”


	13. Military

He never thought he'd find himself here; accepting a job offer from GUN. Chaos knows he owes them pain, so much pain. Enough to equal what they caused him. But in his mind he can see Maria berating him. Such a kind heart, only able to love. 'Give them a chance to be happy.' He can best protect the world, become its guardian, by not doing it alone – by joining the organization with 'guardian' right in the name. As much as he wants to she'd never allow him to hate them. Even for killing her. 

“This is Shadow, reporting in.”


End file.
